Consequences
by Colliequest
Summary: That which does not kill us teaches us. Alvin goes into a coma after hitting his head while disobeying Dave. Can he survive? How will his family cope? Rated Kplus just to be safe. AN: Chapter two and beyond is now being co-written with blossom1209.
1. How it Happened

So, I think I like how this rewrite is turning out, overall. I've decided to post this in chapters. Mostly because I'm anxious to share it ASAP and I'm only half-way done. The second half may come quickly, it may not. I'm having a little trouble with it.

I may make some edits with this chapter as well later on.

Alvin groaned. Here he was, stuck in his room for the rest of the day. And grounded for two weeks! **And** his summer vacation had just started yesterday! This punishment was way too harsh--all he had done was spray paint Dave's car completely by accident. Okay, maybe he had done it on purpose, but he "ruined it"—as Dave put it—by accident. Geesh, He had to learn how to use spray paint on more than bikes, with more fancy patterns, somehow! And Dave always said that practice makes perfect. Besides, Alvin's job on the car didn't turn out half bad. Oh well, he'd just have to suck it up. Dave rarely changed his mind on things like this.

_Wait!_ A thought had just occurred to the boy. _I don't have to sit in here moping. I can sneak out of my room, have some fun, and sneak back in. Dave would never even know I was gone! I'm brilliant!_

Alvin grinned haughtily to himself and began taking the bedsheets off of his and his brother's beds. As he worked at tying them together, he began thinking of all the things he could do. He finished tying the bedsheets and fastened them to the bed post closet to the window. Which was Theodore's, at this time. The end of his make-shift rope in hand, Alvin walked over to the window and peered out to make sure the coast was clear. Seeing that it was, he lowered the rope to the ground and slowly began to descend. He wanted to hurry, but he also didn't want to risk making any unnecessary noise that would alert anyone…so he'd have to take it slowly. _Freedom here I come!_ As he was climbing down, he suddenly remember that he hadn't really planned a course of action beyond escaping. _Darn it! _He was almost to the ground now. Part of him wished that he had consulted in Simon. He was much better at planning ahead for things like this. But that idea was quickly shot down—he could convince Simon to help him most of the time, but Alvin knew there was no way he could get his blue-clad brother to assist him on this one. Even if he could, it was too late for that anyway. Besides, Alvin was good at winging it. He didn't need Simon to help him complete this plan. As Alvin reached the bottom, he tip-toed across the yard to the treehouse he and his brothers had built a while back. He would think of what to do next once he was safely inside it.

Dave sighed as he sat himself down at the table in the kitchen. What was he going to do with that boy? Alvin was always getting into some trouble or other. Trouble may as well have been Alvin's middle name. Dave had hated to ground Alvin yet again, but how else was he to learn? Spray-painting a car—Dave's car!--without even asking his opinion first...Dave shook his head. Had Alvin not learned by now to ask him for permission before doing these things? His thoughts were interrupted by movement coming from the corner of his right eye. He glanced out the window and spotted Alvin climbing into the treehouse.

"ALLLLVIIIIIINNN!"

Uh-oh. Apparently Dave had spotted him. Alvin climbed up the treehouse faster, prepared to think of some quick escape once he made it to the top. He wasn't giving up without a fight. About three-fourths of the way up, however, he somehow slipped and found himself rushing towards the ground. Alvin was dimly aware of a blow to the crown of his head before everything went black.

Dave had headed toward the back door and made it to the backyard just in time to see Alvin land hard on his head. Horrified, Dave ran to where his son lay. "Alvin, are you okay?" No answer. He felt the boy's pulse and was relieved slightly that it was still going strong. He felt Alvin over quickly. There didn't appear to be any broken bones. Alvin's hat had fallen off and lay just a few feet away, so the rather nasty bump on Alvin's head was plainly visible. Other than that and the fact that the chipmunk was unconscious, Alvin appeared to be fine. Dave gently picked his son up and quickly carried him inside. After placing Alvin on the couch, he dialed 9-1-1. He could barely keep his voice steady on the phone, but the ambulance was on it's way. That taken care of, he called his other two boys.

"Simon, Theodore!"

"What's wrong, Dave?", Theodore inquired as he ambled towards Dave from direction of the kitchen. He had noticed that Dave sounded concerned, so he was already feeling concerned himself. When he noticed Alvin lying on the couch with a large bump on his head, he understood. Alvin had hurt himself somehow. Theodore just stared at his older brother's unconscious form, speechless. Simon appeared next to him, a worried look on his face as well.

"What happened, Dave?"

Dave sighed. "He was climbing into the treehouse and slipped."

Theodore began to sniffle. "W-will he be okay?"

"I'm sure he will be, Theodore." Dave didn't want to worry Theodore and he needed some assurance himself right about now. "I've called the ambulance. They'll be here any second. Listen, boys...we've got to be strong, okay?"

"Okay," Theodore said, wiping a tear from his left eye. Simon just nodded. Alvin, hurt? It just couldn't be. As much as Alvin exasperated Simon at times, he would never have wished something like this on him. And he felt helpless right now…he couldn't do anything for his brother. Wait a minute, yes he could…"Uh, Dave, shouldn't we pray?"

"Oh my gosh, Simon, you're right. Give me your hands, boys." The concerned brothers obeyed and all three said quick, but heartfelt, prayers for Alvin.

The ambulance had arrived by the time they were done. They watched as the EMTs loaded Alvin up and sped him to the emergency room. As Simon watch them drive off, he was sorry that he couldn't do more to help his brother. Then he remembered that Alvin hadn't been wearing his hat. He was sure to want it later on, so Simon figured he'd better hurry up and find it. They'd be leaving for the hospital themselves in just a few minutes.

"Uh, Dave, where is Alvin's cap?" Simon asked Dave before he could leave the room.

"Oh, uh...it should be in the backyard. That's where it was when he fell." Dave headed toward the garage to go start up the car.

"Thanks."

Simon then scrambled to the backdoor, yanked it open, and scanned the ground with his eyes. A red cap, of course, would be hard to miss, so he had spotted it within a second or two. He retrieved it quickly and scurried back into the house until he was right in step behind Theodore and Dave, who were now heading toward the garage.

They just sat there in the waiting room. If Alvin were there, they might have had something to do…something they'd end up getting in trouble for, no doubt. But Alvin was the reason they were here this time, Simon reminded himself sadly. So they just sat there. Simon twiddled his thumbs nervously, Theodore kicked his feet back and forth, and Dave just looked worried.

The doctor walked in after a while. "Mr. Seville?"

"Yes?" Dave answered. Simon and Theodore looked up at the physician, paying very close attention.

"Your son is in a coma. We're not completely sure of any damage caused right now, but it doesn't seem to be as bad as it could have been. He is young and has always been very healthy, so he has a good chance of pulling through. We may place him in Intensive Care later on, depending on how he's doing. You'd best head home for the night."

"Thank you, Doctor. We will. May we see him first?"

"Certainly. This way," the doctor replied, leading them towards Alvin's room.

Simon hurried a bit to fall in pace with the doctor and held up Alvin's cap. "Would it be all right if I were to place this on Alvin's nightstand? He'll want it when he wakes up."

The doctor glanced at the cap and nodded. "Sure. I'll take care of it." He held out his hand. Simon hesitated. Alvin didn't like others handling his beloved cap.

"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather be to one to place it next to him. My brother doesn't like others even touching it."

"Yeah, Alvin's crazy about that hat." Theodore added.

"I understand." The doctor replied quickly, looking ahead. Simon hoped he hadn't hurt his feelings.

After a minute or two, Theodore piped up. "Simon…"

"Yes, Theodore?"

"What's a coma?"

"A profound state of unconsciousness. It means that he isn't aware of what's going on around him. It's like a deep sleep that he won't awaken from."

"Oh." Theodore appeared thoughtful for a moment. "How long does it last?"

"It can last anywhere from a few days to a few years. Usually no more than a few weeks, if I remember correctly." Simon glanced at his little brother. "Don't worry, Theodore. Alvin's always been strong. He'll pull through this." Simon had said it to reassure himself as much as Theodore. He could only hope he was right.

Nothing else was said, for they had reached their destination by now. When Theodore saw Alvin lying in a hospital bed, oblivious to his family standing right there, he hid his face in his hands. Simon placed a comforting hand on his shoulder before setting Alvin's cap on the nightstand. _Alvin just has to make it,_ he thought.

Ooh, cliffy? LOL, not really, for those of you who read the old version on deviantART. This rewrite is mostly to make the story flow better. Other than a few added scenes, I'm not changing the storyline itself. At least, not yet. I may decide to later. So…please review.


	2. Coping

This chapter and the ones following will be co-written between Blossom1209 and I. I don't think I could finish this story without her help, so I am very grateful to have it. The first paragraph of this chapter is mostly her writing.  
Also, I forgot the disclaimer on the last chapter.

So here we go: I do not own _Alvin and the Chipmunks_ nor the characters Alvin, Simon, Theodore, Dave Seville, or Vinny. _Bagdasarian Productions_ owns 'em. The lucky dudes. But Blossom1209 and I **do** own the idea for this story, so count your blessings, right? xD

AN: Oh, and I'm sorry about the cruddy layout here. It was just the way I wanted it in the text doc on my computer, I swear. I first typed it in Microsoft Word, then I try making it an HTML file, then I tried making it a Wordpad file. But once I tried reposting it on here, it still wasn't fixed! I have to leave for somewhere in a few minutes, so I don't have time to play around with this. I'll just have to keep it this way for now. If anyone knows how to fix it, please tell me.  
UPDATE: Fixed now. I found out that I can edit it from my document manager. Sorry about removing and re-adding chapter two yet again, but I wasn't sure if editing the doc file on here would change the chapter or not.

Now, onto the story:

Vinny, the Chipmunks' birth mother, lived in the woods and generally avoided the city, except to visit her tree Boys every two months. Naturally, she was very surprised when Dave unexpectedly showed up the next morning. "Vinny", Dave began.  
"What is wrong, dear?"  
He told her about Alvin's situation. "Yesterday afternoon he was climbing up into the treehouse the boys made a year ago, and he slipped and…landed on his head."  
Vinny cradled her head in her hands for a few seconds before looking up, tears in her eyes. "How is he doing now?"  
Dave looked at her sympathetically. "He's at the hospital…in a coma."  
"Oh, my poor baby!" Vinny exclaimed. "Dave, what are we standing here for? We should be at the hospital." Vinny stood up and headed for the door. "Come on, let's go."  
Dave ran after the mother chipmunk. She was already in the car waiting for him to come. "Now, Vinny, please calm down. I'm sure Alvin will pull through. The doctor said he has a good chance."  
"Okay…" Vinny replied in a low voice. "Dave, if it's alright with you and the boys, I think it would best if I stayed with you while Alvin is in the hospital."  
Dave nodded. "Of course."  
"Is there anything else I should know?"  
Dave sighed. "The doctor still doesn't know if or when Alvin will wake from his coma yet…and if he does, he may be pretty confused at first. They said he may also suffer either temporary or permanent damage." Dave explained to the chipmunk's mother, who just nodded.

* * *

Dave had suggested that Simon and Theodore spend a few hours at the park while he went somewhere. Simon figured that Dave might be trying to cheer them up by bringing their mother for a visit. He voiced nothing of this to Theodore, however. Whatever Dave was up to, he seemed to want it to be a surprise. They only stayed at the park for a couple of hours before heading back home. Alvin always knew how to have fun and it just wasn't the same without him there. Upon walking to their front door, Simon wasn't surprised to find that Dave wasn't back yet. It took a while to go to the woods where she lived and back. Simon sat down on the couch.

"You think he went to get Mom?" Theodore asked. "It would be good to see her again."  
"Probably, but I couldn't say for certain." Simon was cleaning his glasses. Theodore took a seat next to his brother. "I just wish that…" he trailed off before bursting into tears. Simon placed a hand on his shoulder, tears trailing from his eyes as well. The two sat there, drawing comfort from one another for several minutes before Simon spoke up. "How about we play a board game while we wait for Dave?" He was trying to keep his brother's mind off of Alvin's coma.  
"Okay…" Theodore agreed, wiping his face off with the back of his hand. "Can we play Monopoly this time?"  
"Sure." Theodore plopped down on the floor while Simon took the board game out from the closet. "You want to be the banker?" the older chipmunk asked, game in hand.  
Theodore shook his head. "No…I like it better when you're the banker."  
"All right, then." Simon placed the box on the floor and they began setting up the game together.

* * *

Half an hour later, a car could be heard pulling up into the driveway. The two brothers sprang up from their places on the floor. Theodore, being closer to the door, opened it quickly and both chipmunks ran outside. "Mom!" they exclaimed in unison upon seeing Vinny climb out of the car. Almost before she could turn around to face them, they had already scrambled up and began hugging her. "It's good to see you, too, boys." She said, hugging them back. Her voice was a bit shaky.  
"Did you have fun at the park?" Dave asked.  
"I guess." Simon answered half-heartedly.  
"I-it's not the same without Alvin." Theodore clarified for his brother in a quiet voice.  
Dave knelt down and placed his right hand on Theodore's shoulder. "Well, we're going to visit him at the hospital in a few minutes, okay?" Theodore nodded slowly.


	3. The Visit

Yay, so chapter three is finally finished! We worked hard on this one, so I hope you enjoy. I do think the story is going well so far—much better than the original was. Can't say how often the updates will be. Depends on a lot of things. I'm not a fast writer and I tend to take my time.

* * *

"Okay, everyone are you ready to visit Alvin?" Theodore nodded.  
"Yes, Dave. We're ready." Simon answered, pushing his glasses up. Dave had insisted that they eat lunch before they left, and they had just finished.  
"Let's get going then." Dave said. The two boys got up quickly and ran outside to the car as fast as their feet would carry them. "Well, that's the fastest I've ever seen Theodore run." Vinny commented.

Dave smiled. "Yeah." Before he could start toward the door himself, the phone rang.  
"Go ahead and go out to the car. I'll get it."  
Vinny nodded. "Of course. I'll keep an eye on them." She headed toward the door as Dave picked up the phone. "Hello?"  
"Hello. This is nurse Jessica from River City Hospital. Is this Alvin's father?"  
"Yes." A horrible thought occurred to the troubled parent. "Why, what's wrong?"  
"You need to come to the hospital right away."  
"What's wrong with my son, Mrs. Jessica?"  
"I'm sorry, but I don't know. What I do know is that the doctor wants to see you as soon as possible."  
"Okay…well, we're on our way. Bye." He hung up the phone. Worries plagued him as he walked outside and locked the front door. He was heading toward the car when Vinny, who was sitting in the backseat next to her boys, noticed his worried face. "What's wrong?"  
Dave opened the door and sat down in the driver's seat. "That was the hospital."  
"Did something bad happen to Alvin?" Theodore asked, alarmed.  
"They didn't say. They just wanted us to come right away."  
Theodore burst into tears, sobbing loudly and clinging to his mother. "H-he won't…die, w-will he?"  
Vinny gently rubbed her small son on the back. "No, sweetie, I know Alvin. He will make it."  
Dave began starting the car, he looked back to make sure that none of the neighborhood children were playing in their driveway or the street behind it. Simon wasn't buckled in yet, so he could turn around to look easier than Dave could. "Okay, Dave, go for it. I don't see anyone." He buckled himself in.  
"Thank you, Simon." Dave backed out of the driveway and drove off.  
They rode in silence for a while. Theodore had cried himself to sleep on his mother's lap (though he was buckled in) and Simon was staring absent-mindedly out the window.  
Suddenly Vinny spoke up. "I just wish that Alvin would wake up soon."  
"Me, too." Dave said, sighing once again.  
"He was always getting into stuff when he was a baby. I was always worrying that he'd hurt himself, but he never did. I guess I got used to it, in a way…and now he has hurt himself...when I least expected it." A tear slid down Vinny's cheek.  
"I know how you feel." Dave said. "I shouldn't have yelled at him like I did when I found that he had spray-painted the car without my permission…I should have just made him redo the paint job with my supervision. Then maybe this would never have happened."  
Vinny decided not to ask about that incident. All this technology could be so confusing. What was clear was that Alvin had gotten himself into trouble, which was nothing new, and it had somehow led to his present condition. The boy was simply unpredictable; it sometimes seemed like anything could happen with Alvin around.

Simon, who had been listening despite appearances to the contrary, spoke up. "Even if Alvin had re-did the job to your car, he could still have hurt himself climbing up to the treehouse some other time. I mean, we do go up there a lot."  
"You may be right." Dave acknowledged.  
"Dave," Vinny said. "You drove right by the hospital." He looked back and saw that she was right.  
"Oh. Hold on." Dave made a U-turn back for the building and eased into a space on the parking lot. He pulled the key out of the ignition. "Alright, everyone. Let's go."  
Vinny shook the still-sleeping Theodore lightly. "Wake up, dear." The small boy opened his eyes and sat up. "Huh?"  
Vinny smiled at him. "It's time to visit your brother, honey."  
"Oh." Theodore responded as he unbuckled himself, mixed emotions apparent on his young face. Dave picked the boy up. Simon and Vinny got out of the car as well and the four made their way through the hospital entrance and into the lobby. Dave, still holding Theodore, stopped in front of the information desk. "I'm here to see my son, Alvin Seville?" he said to the receptionist, who looked at the computer screen in front of her for a few seconds before answering. "Room 52. That way and down the hall a ways." She pointed to her right. Dave nodded. "Thanks."

Once they got to Alvin's room, they found the doctor, Dr. James Both, waiting. "Mr. Seville? Glad you could make it. Please, sit down." The doctor motioned to a few chairs next to the wall. They sat down. Before the doctor could start, Dave asked "Is he alright?"  
The doctor hesitated a second. "Well, Alvin's condition has gotten a little worse."  
"My poor baby…" Vinny lamented, glancing at Alvin's small form in the hospital bed. Theodore hugged his mother from his perch on Dave's lap. "How bad is it, Doctor?" she asked, looking up at him.  
"He started to open his eyes a little last night, but he's not of he coma yet, and…" the doctor paused, hesitant. "Well, we did a CT scan this morning and found that he has what we call an aneurysm in his brain. If it were to rupture, the results could be…well, fatal."  
Everyone gasped. Theodore began sobbing uncontrollably. Dr. Both looked at him sympathetically. Then he looked at Dave. "Perhaps someone should take him to the waiting room. I have no more news on Alvin that is quite so bad, but still."  
Dave nodded.  
"I'll take him there and stay with him." Vinny said, getting up. "Come on, Theodore."  
"Okay…" The boy got down from Dave's lap, still crying, and stood next to his mother. "Are you coming, too, Simon?" he asked.  
Simon put a hand to his chin as he thought a moment. He wanted to hear what the doctor had to say, although he already had some idea, but Theodore needed him, too…then again, perhaps Dave did as well. If he stayed, he might be able to make Dave feel better.  
As if sensing his train of thought, Dave spoke up. "It won't bother me if you do, Simon."  
The chipmunk shook his head. "No, I'll stay here."  
"Are you sure, dear?" Vinny asked.  
Simon nodded. "Yeah..."  
"Okay." She turned and led her small son out of the room.

"Please continue, Doctor." Dave said, letting out a small, worried sigh.  
"Very well. There are two ways to treat an aneurysm: surgical clipping, and endovascular coiling. Coiling has a shorter recovery period, but a higher recurrence and subsequent bleeding rate. Surgical clipping, however, involves a craniotomy and **is** a quite a bit riskier."  
"So he needs an operation, then?" Dave asked. This wasn't helping his nerves any.  
"Yes. The aneurysm is big enough that we'll need to go with clipping and we'll need to do it soon. This operation requires the help of a neurosurgeon. Fortunately, we have a one here, so we won't have to wait on one or transport Alvin to another hospital. I'd like to have the operation done tomorrow." The doctor went on to explain the procedure.

* * *

Vinny sat in the waiting room Theodore once again asleep in her lap. As she lightly stroked the fur on his head, she wondered what Dr. Both was saying to Dave regarding her oldest son. She was anxious to hear what was going on with him. Every time she heard someone walk by, she looked up hoping it was Dave, Simon, or the doctor with some news. So far, she had been disappointed.

In Alvin's room, Dr. Both was just about done explaining the surgery to Dave, and was now getting the release forms out for him to sign. "Doctor, if it's alright with you I would like to talk to the boys' mother before I sign anything." Dave requested.  
"Alright," he replied. "But—and I'm not trying to be rude you understand, but please don't take too long." The doctor stood up and stretched his arms a bit.  
"It shouldn't." The doctor nodded in acknowledgment and left.  
Dave turned to Simon, who appeared to be in a lot of thought. "Dave," he said, looking up at his adoptive father. "If Alvin has this operation…well, what if something goes wrong?"  
"I take it you haven't done much research in this area?"  
Simon shook his head. "Um…yeah. There's just so many subjects that it's impossible to try to learn about everything." He shrugged.  
"Understandable. I only wish you had asked this before the doctor left."  
"Maybe I can ask him later when you hand him back that release form."  
"I don't see why not." Dave started for the door, then stopped. "I want you to wait here with Alvin, okay?" Simon just nodded. Dave smiled and left the room.

As he made his way to the waiting room, worry filled his thoughts. What if Alvin didn't make it? He honestly didn't know how he'd cope, to say nothing of Simon and Theodore. Sure, the little rascal could cause a lot of chaos, but deep down inside he knew what was right. He had proven that time and time again. When he had reached the waiting room, he saw Vinny holding Theodore in her lap. She looked up. "How is Alvin doing?" Although Vinny's voice didn't shake, Dave noticed that it looked like she had been crying. No wonder. He had come pretty close to it a few times himself. Before answering Vinny's question, he looked down at Theodore. The boy was very sensitive and Dave just didn't think it was the right time to tell Theodore the news yet. "He's asleep." Vinny said, as if reading Dave's thoughts.

Dave sat down. "The doctor says that Alvin needs an operation as soon as possible." He explained the procedure as best as he could from what Dr. Both had told him. It didn't take long. Vinny just listened quietly. "That bad?" she asked when Dave had finished.  
"I'm afraid so." He paused for a few seconds. "I have the release forms for the surgery. The doctor wants us to sign them."  
Vinny looked confused. "A release form?"  
"It's a legal document that states that if something were to go wrong that isn't actually the doctor's fault, he won't be held responsible." Dave explained.  
The chipmunk sighed. "I'm sorry, I just know so little about city life. Go ahead and sign it." Dave nodded.  
"We should go pray for Alvin again, I suppose." He said when he had nodded as she began to wake Theodore up."If it's alright with you, I'll get him so he won't have to wake up." Dave offered.  
"Alright." She said. Since Vinny was only taller than her three 10 year old boys by about a foot, her carrying Theodore was out of the question. Dave very carefully removed the young chipmunk from his mother's lap. He stirred, but didn't wake. Dave carried him to Alvin's room where Simon was staring out the window, once again deep in thought. He turned as he heard the door open.

* * *

Oh, and I'm not one to complain, so don't take this wrong, but last time I only got one review. Please, people, if you read this story, please review it. I want to know if people are enjoying it and I want to know ways I might improve.  
Hmmmm…maybe a different approach here…_**click the review button. It haz cookies**._ XD


	4. Surgery

Here's chapter four. And we've finally brought the Chipettes into the story. :) Hopefully they are in-character enough.  
First of all, thanks to those who have reviewed so far. And to those who have answered my poll. For those who haven't, whatcha waitin' for? LOL. I need feedback. In all seriousness though, I won't be upset if you don't.  
I had to use Notepad cause this laptop doesn't have much else as far as text programs on it yet, so hopefully the layout will turn out as I intended. Looks like I'm going to have to insert quotation marks all over again as it is. (It really is a nice laptop, just needs a little work. I kinda like it better than my own computer. LOL. I really wouldn't mind if I got to use it for keeps.) And hopefully I'm making sense, cuz it's three thirty in the morning. 0.0 My dad said I could go on the computer until I got sleepy. Yeah, family o' nightowls here.

I shall quit jabbering now and go onto the usual procedures:  
DISCLAIMER: If I owned Alvin and the Chipmunks, I'd have released "Vinny's Visit", "Sploosh", and other much-sought-after episodes on DVD a long time ago.

ONTO ZE STORY:

Dave watched as Theodore dropped his plate and cup in the sink. He had been debating with himself about having Theodore come to the hospital with him during Alvin s surgery. The boy was so sensitive, he didn t know if he could handle it or not. During breakfast that morning, Dave had finally decided on letting Theodore decide for himself.  
"Theodore?"  
The boy, about to walk away from the counter, looked up. "Yes, Dave?"  
Dave got down on the boy' s level. "Do you want to go to the hospital during Alvin's surgery today?"  
"W-well yeah." Theodore looked a bit confused. Why would he not go when Alvin might need him?  
"Are you sure?"  
Theodore nodded. "I'm sure."  
Dave stood up. "All right. We'll be leaving in a few minutes."  
"O-okay."

Simon, who had been sitting in one of the dining room chairs reading a paper he had printed from the internet about endovascular clipping, got up and walked over to his younger brother. "It'll be okay, Theodore." Theodore looked up, trying to feign confidence he didn't feel. "I-I know." He looked down again, staring at the floor quietly.  
"Come on, let's go outside." Simon said, leading Theodore to the front door. "Fresh air will be good for us." Once outside, Theodore sat on the steps, and sighed. Simon sat down next to him. They had only been there a minute or so when they heard happy chattering coming from the sidewalk, causing both brothers to look up. They saw the Chipettes walking by, looking very excited about something. "I can't wait for the ball tonight!" Brittany was saying just as Jeanette and Eleanor noticed the boys, waving. Turning to see why they weren't listening to her anymore, Brittany stopped as well.  
Simon got up and walked towards them, Theodore following close behind. "Hi." Jeanette greeted warmly.  
Brittany cut her off. "We were just going to the mall. And if you ll excuse us--"  
"What are you guys up to?" Eleanor asked. "Alvin still grounded?"  
"I wouldn't know, considering he's in the hospital. I imagine that kind of cancels any punishment out, if you know what I mean." Simon replied.  
The girls looked shocked. Jeanette was the first to speak. "Alvin's in the hospital?"  
"And you didn't tell us?!" Brittany nearly shouted. She wasn't in so much of a hurry now.  
"Gee, I m sorry". Theodore said apologetically before Simon could speak up. "I guess we forgot to."  
"How could you forget?!" Brittany exclaimed, glaring.  
Jeanette spoke up quietly. "I'm sure if it had been you, Brittany, I would've had done the same thing". She turned towards Simon. "I'm so sorry that Alvin got hurt, Simon."  
"Thanks." He said, looking down. "It has been a little rough these past few days."  
"How did it happen?" Brittany asked, a little more calmly.  
"According to Dave, Alvin was climbing into our treehouse. He slipped and landed on his head."  
"He's in a coma." Theodore added sadly.  
"And he's having surgery today to treat an aneurysm in his brain." Simon sighed.  
"We'll be praying for him." Jeanette said.  
"And we'll see about visiting him sometime, too." Eleanor said compassionately. "But for now I m afraid we've got to get to the store. See you later. And we hope Alvin gets well soon." They waved once more before turning away to run their errand.

After the girls left the Chipmunk's house, Brittany, who was in front, stopped and turned around. Her sisters stopped as well. "You know, I've been thinking." She paused for a few seconds, as if about to admit something she would rather not. "Let's go back home and tell Miss Miller about Alvin."  
"But Brittany," Eleanor said. "What about your dress for tonight's ball?"  
Brittany shook her head. "I don't care about the ball anymore." She looked down, talking quietly. "Alvin means more to me than a dumb ball."  
Jeanette looked at Eleanor, who looked back at Brittany. Jeanette spoke first. "Okay, Brittany, then let's go." They headed back home, running all the way. After they rushed into the house, interrupting Miss Miller's card game, Brittany was the first to speak.  
"Miss Miller, we need to tell you something. Please?" Miss miller looked at them as if surprised. They normally didn't come back from shopping this quickly. Brittany liked to look at all the new clothes too much to be back this early.  
"Girls, why aren't you at the mall?"  
"It s about Alvin. He's in the hospital."  
Miss Miller s eyes went wide in shock as Brittany explained Alvin 's situation based on what Simon and Theodore had told them.

In Alvin's hospital room Alvin was about to be taken into surgery. Dave, Vinny, Simon, and Theodore, were visiting him shortly, each praying silently that God would spare Alvin. Theodore seemed to be handling himself well for now, but it was obvious how worried he was. They all were. A door opened and Dr. James Both stepped in. "Alvin's about to be taken into surgery now, so I m afraid you ll have to leave."  
"Will it be alright with you if I give Alvin his CD player?" Theodore asked, pulling a portable player out of his pocket.  
"I don't think Alvin will need it right now, Theodore." Simon said gently. "Besides, they can't take things like that into the operating room."  
"Your brother is right." The doctor said, bending down a little. "Besides, Alvin will be unconscious during the surgery. Why don't you use it for now?"  
"Oh." Theodore put it back in his pocket for the moment. "Well, uh, can I give it to him later?"  
"If he's awake and feeling up to it." The doctor straightened himself up.  
Vinny placed a gentle kiss on Alvin's forehead and muttered a few soft words of encouragement to her unconscious child. Theodore was next to her, holding back sniffles. She placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, pulling him close.  
Dave, who was also standing next to the bed, stroked Alvin's hair a few times. Be strong, Alvin. "I know you can make it, brother." Simon said, standing next to his mother. He wiped his hand across his right eye to keep a tear from falling.  
"Come on, fellas, we'd better go now." Dave said, picking Theodore up and heading towards the door. Simon and Vinny followed, glancing back at Alvin once more.

In the waiting room, they all sat, just waiting. They didn't say anything and they were all a bit misty-eyed. Theodore, who was sitting next to his mother, was on the verge of tears. All this was hitting him the hardest emotionally and Dave and Vinny knew it. Theodore sighed quietly before taking his CD player out. He put on the headphones and pressed play. The song was _Splinter in My Heart_ , by As Told By Ginger. One of his (and Alvin's) favorites and it helped him to feel better at times like this.  
_It's kind of sad really Guess I'm the sort who'll linger When the credits roll I still can't leave a picture The picture I hold In my heart_

Vinny placed a hand on his shoulder. She, too, was remembering. She thought back to the day her boys had been born. She started to wonder if she would ever see her son's sky blue eyes again.  
_It makes me mad really Wish I could blame a twister Or a hurricane,_  
_Or my pesky sister Wish I could blame away this feeling In my heart_

Dave was thinking about all the times he had yelled Alvin s name out of exasperation. Though in most cases it had been well-deserved, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty.  
_There's reasons left to fight There's you to kiss good night Hold on Hold on tight_

Simon and Theodore were both remembering all the good and bad times they had with Alvin. Such as the time when they had thought that Dave was being blackmailed. Alvin had shown that under that despite that mischievous and arrogent streak of his, he really did care about others. He had shown that quality many times.  
_It makes me mad really Wish I could blame a twister Or a hurricane,_  
_Or my pesky brother Wish I could blame away this feeling In my heart_

After what seemed like hours of just sitting around waiting, Dr. Both walked in, smiling. _Good_, though Dave, letting out a breath he didn't even realize he had been holding. _Some good news._  
"Well," the doctor began. "The surgery went as well as could have been hoped for." He paused for a second. "But his body is still weak, so he'll need his rest."  
"Glad to hear that it went well, Doctor." Dave said, sounding very relieved indeed.  
"May we see him?" Vinny asked suddenly, voicing the very question Dave was preparing himself to ask.  
Dr. Both nodded quickly. "He's in the ICU for now, so his brothers won t be allowed, but yes, you and Mr. Seville may visit him for a few minutes."  
"Thank you, Dr." Vinny said gratefully.  
"Why can't we visit Alvin?" Theodore asked curiously.  
"Because no one under the age of 18 is allowed in the Intensive Care Unit." Simon answered before Dave could. He was used to explaining things to his brothers, especially Theodore.  
"So we'll have to stay here?" Theodore put a hand to his chin.  
"I'm afraid so, Theodore." Dave answered, turning toward the door. "We won't be gone long, promise."  
The boy looked down at the floor as his parents left the room. "Okay."  
They sat in silence for several minutes until three girls entered the room. "Hello." Simon greeted.  
"We came to see how Alvin's doing." Jeanette explained. She noticed that Simon seemed in better spirits than that morning, so she expected good news.  
"Well, the doctor said his surgery went well." Simon said happily.  
"Our mom and Dave are seeing him right now." Theodore added. Anyone could tell that he was in better spirits as well, though he was still a bit upset about not being able to visit his brother.  
"In the ICU?" Jeanette asked. Simon nodded.  
"Has he woken up from his coma yet?" she asked.  
Simon shook his head slowly. "No, not yet. Or at least Dr. Both didn't say anything about it if he did." He sat down once again.  
"I hope he wakes up soon." Eleanor said. "We've been praying for him ever since we found out. Oh! And we bought him a get-well card. Brittany has it." She nodded toward her sister as she said this.  
"I picked it out myself." Brittany declared, taking the card out of her pocket. She handed it to Jeanette, who handed it to Simon Simon glanced at the card, then smiled. Alvin would love it. Although he had to wonder, when would Alvin be awake to see it? "I'm sure Alvin would thank you if he could."

_It's a bit chilly in here._ He had a headache. And to top it all off, the room seemed to be spinning, though he hadn't yet opened his eyes. Last thing he remembered, he had been falling toward the ground. Where was he? Had he died and gone to Heaven? No, Heaven wasn t dark. Had he gone to the other place? No, that couldn't be. He had received Jesus as His Savior long ago--though even he had to admit he certainly didn t act like it most of the time. No matter how bad he acted, there's no way he'd wind up there. Then he was aware of voices. Yes, two male human voices and one high-pitched, female voice. Alvin tried to open his eyes. It was hard, but after a few seconds he finally succeeded. He could see Dave and Vinny talking to some doctor. Alvin attempted to talk and manage to squeak drowsily. "Mom? Dave?"

Both Dave and Vinny turned upon hearing Alvin's voice. Dave looked toward the boy s hospital bed and saw that his eyes were open. He was still lying down. There were not a lot of wires connected to him, just an IV and one or two other things, and his cranium was wrapped a large bandage.  
Vinny spoke first. "My baby!" She rushed to Alvin's bedside. Dave followed at a slightly slower pace.  
"Alvin, you re awake."  
Alvin smiled, then looked down for a minute as if trying to muster up the courage to say something. He started, but stopped. For a few awkward seconds, he looked around the room. He tried again. "Dave, I m sorry that I spray painted your car."  
Dave placed his hand on Alvin's shoulder. "Don't worry about that. You've learned your lesson and I forgive you."  
Alvin smiled a little and looked toward his mother. "Mom, where are Simon and Theodore?"  
"They're in the waiting room." Alvin started to say something again, but Vinny continued. "They aren't old enough to be here in the ICU yet."  
"Oh." The young chipmunk looked disappointed, then looked up again. "When will I be able to go home?"  
Dr. James Both, who had just been watching until now, came over. "I can answer that. You just had surgery, so you ll be here a few more days."  
Alvin looked disappointed once again. He didn't like having to stay at the hospital one bit. "Um, how many?"  
"Four to six. Depends on how you re doing." The doctor replied in a positive tone. He continued. "But for now I have a few questions I need to ask you, alright?"  
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Review before my ovely insured wearhose has a mysterious fire! Oooo! (ROFL, sorry, couldn't resist the AATC Meet the Wolfman reference.)


	5. AN: story on HOLD

Ugh, such a late update, I should have mentioned this several weeks ago...my co-writer and I have decided to put this story on hold.

1. I resolved to try harder in school, piano practice, my chores, etc. And I am trying to avoid spending 8 hours a day on the computer like I used to do. (Okay that last part was a bit of an exaggeration, but you get my drift.) So I have less time to really write than I did last year.

2. I was really interested in writing for a while and I'm sure I could improve if I wanted to, but the real interest died off several months ago. That's actually the main reason I haven't written in a long time. What my real passion is is drawing. And piano.

3. As much or little potential as I may or may not have, in all honesty writing comes very hard for me. I feel like, especially with this story, that my story-writing skills are inadequate and that I'm better suited to writing an informational article. Thanks to everyone for their reviews and support. You have been kind. =)

4. I'm not leaving the site (I'll still be reading and reviewing others' work) and I do plan to _try _to finish this story. Just don't expect quick updates or exceptional writing. And, again, it's on **hold** for now. For how long I have absolutely no idea.


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